A quality field of more than 60 professional golfers have entered the Deniliquin Pro-Am tournament, on Wednesday, September 6.
They are headed by last year’s Victorian PGA Championship winner Andrew Martin, who will warm up for Deniliquin by playing Pro-Am events on the mid-north coast at Port Macquarie and Kew.
Also in the field will be a Deniliquin favourite, Deyen Lawson, a good friend of local golfers Noel and Jenny Swainger, as well as former NSW Amateur Champion Austin Bautista.
Lawson is rated 11th on the National Pro-Am Order of Merit and is a European Tour player and current Western Australian Open champion, after taking that title in 2022.
Bautista was the number one ranked amateur in Australia and looked set for an outstanding professional career after performing well in international tournaments.
But in 2018 he decided to walk away from golf and spend two years volunteering with humanitarian aid organisations in places such as Papua New Guinea, China, Japan, Thailand and Israel.
He is now back on the golf course and, like Martin, will play several events in northern NSW before heading to Deniliquin.
Organisers are delighted with the interest shown by professional golfers, including young up and coming players, who will compete at Deniliquin’s first Pro-Am for many years.
In early spring the picturesque Deniliquin golf course will be in prime condition for the event, which will be a precursor to the Stuart Appleby Cohuna Pro-Am on September 7, followed by the two-day Border Open Pro-Am at Barham on September 9 and 10.
And while the professional entries for the Pro-Am have closed there are still vacancies for amateur golfers.
Deniliquin Golf Club secretary/manager Kathy Simpson said there has been strong support from the local golfing fraternity, and the club was delighted with the number of entries received so far.
It has also received excellent sponsorship support, alongside financial support from Edward River Council.
“But the field is not full, so we are inviting local golfers who have not entered, as well as players from surrounding clubs to visit Deniliquin and have a rare opportunity to play alongside a professional golfer on a quality golf course,” Simpson said.
Entry forms for the Pro-Am are available on the golf club’s website, or can be organised via email to denigolf@bigpond.net.au or phone the club on (03) 5881 1325.